Fossil Plants from Cave Deposits Near Pella, Marion County, Lowa

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume 68 Annual Issue Article 27

1961

Fossil Plants From Cave Deposits Near Pella, Marion County, lowa

M. D. Huffman Central College

Charles Henkel Central College

Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy

Recommended Citation Huffman, M. D. and Henkel, Charles (1961) "Fossil Plants From Cave Deposits Near Pella, Marion County, lowa," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 68(1), 167-169. Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol68/iss1/27

This Research is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa Academy of Science at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science by an authorized editor of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Huffman and Henkel: Fossil Plants From Cave Deposits Near Pella, Marion County, lowa

Fossil Plants From Cave Deposits Near Pella, Marion County, lowa 1 M. D. HUFFMAN AND CHARLES HENKEL2 Abstract. An abundance of plant fossils from the Penn sylvanian period was found in sandstone caves near the Des Moines River in Marion County, Iowa, south of Pella. Four teen species are listed in this preliminary report. Fossil flora in Iowa have been described to some extent in earlier publications ( 1,2), but in comparison with other states, this remains largely an unworked field. The rich variety and excellent condition of some of this material was evident in many of the first collections. In October, 1960, several sandstone caves were located in a wooded area along the Des Moines River near Pella, Marion County, Iowa. These caves have been formed by the action of drainage water upon the soft coal and shale layers of the forma tion, and the size of the caves is quite variable. Those from which the first collections were made average about 2 feet from floor to ceiling, may range to 30 feet in width and extend for as much as 100 feet in length. Students investigating the caves dis covered many impressions and mummifications of plants on the ceilings of the caves, and collections examined in the laboratory revealed a variety of forms, mostly in excellent condition for identification. Even though several collections have been made from other sites in the area, the forms reported here represent only specimens from the initial cave site. Fossils from four orders are represented, and only a few representative species are included in this report.

LYCOPODIALES Lepidodendreae Lepidodendron loricatum Aber Lepidodendron obovatum Sternberg Lepidodendron rimosum Sternberg, Figure l, A Lepidophloios laricinus Sternberg, Figure l, C Sigillaria brari Brongniart, Figure 1-E Sigillaria mammillaris Brongniart, Figure 1-B Stigmaria ficoides Sternberg EQUISETALES Calamarieae Annularia galioides Lindley & Hutton, Figure 1-F Annularia radiata Brongniart Calamites cisti Brongniart Calamites ramosus Artis

1 This investigation was supported in part by a research grant from Research Corpo ration through funds allocated to the Central College Research Council. 2 Division of Natural Science, Central College, Pella, Iowa. 167 Published by UNI ScholarWorks, 1961 1 Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 68 [1961], No. 1, Art. 27

168 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE [Vol. 68

F'iguro 1. A. Lepidodendron rimosum Sten1berg; B, Si.gillar-ia mmnm.illaris Brongniart; C, Lepidophloios laricinus Sternberg; D, Lepidodendroid cones; E, Sigillaria brardi Brongniart; F, Annularia galiofrles Lindley & Hulton; G, Sphenophyl lum 1na;-us Bronn; H , Marfopteris decipiens Lesquereux.

SPHENOPHYLLALES Sphenophylleae Sphenophyllum majus Bronn, Figure 1-G

FILICALES Mariopterideae Mariopteris decipiens Lesquereux, Figure 1-H Neuropterideae Neur.opteris flexuosa StefJlberg https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol68/iss1/27 2 Huffman and Henkel: Fossil Plants From Cave Deposits Near Pella, Marion County, lowa

1961] FOSSIL PLANTS 169

A DDENDUM It has been learned subsequent to the writing of this article that the "caves" referred to actually represent former hand operated coal mines with some additional erosion by water.

Literature Cited 1. "Wilson, L. R., and A. T. Cross. 1939. Fossil plants of a Des Moines sandstone cave deposit near Robin s, Linn County, Iowa. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. 46: 225-226. 2. Wilson, L. R., and Iola Tillapaugh. 1941. Observations on the leaves of arbores cent lycopods from the Pennsylvanian rocks of Iowa. (Abs tr.) PublishedProc. by UNI Iowa ScholarWorks, Acad. Sci, 48: 1961 197. 3